3/14: How Blog Outreach Is Done
WH '08ers can't seem to agree on how to title their official blog advisers (eCampaign Adviser, Blog Outreach Dir., and Dir. of Online Communications are a few choices), and most campaigns also have trouble defining how exactly their blog experts fit into their campaign. Each candidate's strengths in other areas ought to inform how they handle blogs, but Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) aide (he doesn't even have an official title) Patrick Hynes' push-back efforts 3/13 are a textbook example of how the job should be done. After a flurry of posts hit McCain for skipping the Club for Growth's winter conf., Hynes went to work emailing bloggers to let them know CFG only offered McCain dates to speak that coincided with a previously planned trip to Iraq. The retractions and updates Hynes netted his candidate both tampered down implications that he was dissing conservatives and reinforced McCain's strength on just about the only issue conservative bloggers back McCain on. This one episode is not going to magically swing bloggers to McCain's column, but it is an example of the vigilant defense WH '08ers must be prepared to play online.
Now, I have to say this is a very little blog and I would be surprised if there were a lot of "outreach" in this direction from presidential campaigns. That said, Nevada is now an early Caucus state and I haven't heard of much outreach to any Nevada blog. There was the case of Obama skipping the AFSCME forum in Carson City - no explanations, no outreach whatsoever. Then the Fox News debate controversy. The only outreach at all was by Edwards and Richardson to Kos, but only after he contacted them. None of the candidates did any outreach during this time to any Nevada blogs - as far as I know, at least there was none reporting in this respect on the two biggies, Reno and its Discontent and the Las Vegas Gleaner.
So, maybe, just maybe, Democrats could actually learn something from a Republican for a change!
End of rant.
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